Firefighter Punished For Ethnic ‘Satire’ Captain Touted ‘White’ Members In A Flier Sent To Hispanic Group

A Seattle Fire Department captain has been disciplined for circulating a flier that spoofed ethnic associations and said they create divisiveness.

Capt. Randy Hansen’s flier, sent to a leader of the Seattle Hispanic Firefighters Association, touted creation of a “White Anglo-Saxon-European-American Male Firefighter’s Association.”

Hansen has been reprimanded and ordered to take sensitivity training.

“I take full responsibility for my satire and realize it was not the best avenue to address the concerns I had,” he told the Seattle Times.

Hansen is barred from serving as a battalion chief or information officer, duties he sometimes performed, until he has completed the training and “convinced this administration he can perform those duties,” said interim Fire Chief Don Taylor.

Some firefighters felt the department action was too lenient.

“I view this type of situation to be serious enough to take severe action, and it’s questionable whether this discipline meets the goals of the department,” said Ron Mondragon, the co-chairman of the Hispanic association who received the flier.

On April 7, the Hispanic group posted notice of a meeting to discuss its mission statement, promotion tests and selection of a new fire chief to replace the retired Claude Harris.

The next day, Mondragon received an anonymous fax from the fictitious association:

“The newest Fire Fighter Association in Seattle is actively seeking members to step forth and show their ability to create divisiveness,” it read.

“Through your direct actions and input we can establish ourselves as a separate group with our own agenda, political clout and prejudiced perspectives. If you’re not black, female, Hispanic, etc., you too may have a place in our association. Everyone is welcome of course, as we discriminate against no one. Please be aware that you may not necessarily blend in with the rest of us nor may you share our points of view, but you are welcome nonetheless.”

An investigation revealed Hansen was the source. The 14-year department veteran initially defended the flier in a statement posted on a Fire Fighters’ Union Local 27 Web site, but has since apologized.

Local 27 president Paul Harvey said the flier “wasn’t humorous. It was insensitive.”

The department has 900 active officers. Of those, 690 are white, 101 black, 57 Asian, 35 Hispanic and 17 Native American. There are 80 women in the department.